Let Me Be Your Wings
by Sweet-Hearted SilverEars
Summary: Andy is a prince of the Fae Realm. He arrives at Downton Abbey in order to claim his fated mate, Thomas Barrow. Adjacent worlds. Pairing: Thomas/Andy. Warnings: Eventual male pregnancy. MATURE ADULT CONTENT
1. Chapter 1 A Fae Love For Thomas Barrow

**Chapter 1 A Fae Love For Thomas Barrow**

Thomas Barrow stood frozen, stiff with shock as Andy Parker's lips were abruptly and unexpectedly pressed to his. He could not help but soften some, however, when Andy's arms encircled his neck as he moved further still into Thomas's intimate space, pressing his body tightly to his with a soft moan of longing against his mouth.

" _Thomas_!" Andy breathed, panting slightly into the kiss as he spoke for the first time since entering Thomas's room and shutting the door before pushing him back against it and kissing him. " _Thomas_ , _please_ , _hold me_! _Touch me_! _Make love to me_ , _I beg it of you_!"

This desperate and passionate plea was clearly too much for Thomas to believe in, so despite his every instinct otherwise, his hands lifted up to roughly push Andy away from him and further into the room.

" _Is this some kind of trick_?" he demanded, his pale cheeks slightly pink and his chest rising and falling rapidly as he struggled to catch his breath.

" _No_ , _Thomas_!" Andy gasped, his needy expression turning wounded in response to his rejection and accusation.

"A joke, then? _You mock my nature and my pain_!"

" _No_ , _Thomas_!" Andy repeated, his big, earnest brown eyes filling with tears that then spilled onto his cheeks with his obvious anguish. "I would _never_ do anything so _cruel_! Your nature is my nature, too!"

"I do not believe you," he said, despite Andy's tears. "Someone put you up to this. I want you out of my room!"

" _Thomas_ -" Andy tried to reach him through his clear aching hurt and paranoia.

" _Out_ , _Andy_!" he repeated, reaching now to open the door.

" _No_! _I will not leave_! You will have to throw me out! _I love you_ , _Thomas Barrow_!"

Thomas spun back to face Andy's red, tear streaked face, his own cheeks unnaturally pale and his black eyes glittering with his strong emotions. " _Are you mad to say such things_?! What if someone had heard you?!"

"So what if they did?! I have done nothing wrong, nor would they be able to prove I did! _If loving you is wrong_ , _I do not want to be right_! _Everything that I have done_ , _I have done_ _to be with you_ , _Thomas_! _You are my Life Mate_!"

Thomas blinked rapidly, clearly even more uncertain now. "What exactly do you mean by that?"

Andy stood there, his face damp and his body visibly trembling, but his voice when he spoke in answer was firm, his gaze direct. "Since I wish more then anything to be in a relationship with you, I must be honest with you. No matter the outcome. You are my Soul Mate. I left my home behind in order to come to you here. To be with you. Because we are Fated. Written in the stars. I am not human, Thomas."

"Now I _know_ that you're having me on," Thomas said with a sudden glare, taking a threatening step toward him.

"I am not, Thomas. _I promise_. I know that I appear human, but I am not. I am in disguise, for my protection. And the reason I am not worried about being overheard, it is because I have shielded this room. No one will hear us, or be able to enter until I remove it. I _am_ a Fae Prince, Thomas. I suppose the only way to prove it to you will be to remove my glamour."

Thomas had stilled once more to listen to him, staring in shock as a soft white light appeared, surrounding Andy like mist, obscuring his form for a brief few moments. When the light vanished and the mist cleared someone that was clearly _other_ stood across from Thomas.

He _was_ Andy, as evidenced by the tears still gleaming on his lashes and cheeks, and yet he also _wasn't_. Or, rather, not the Andy Thomas thought he had come to know. Not entirely.

The other male wore a sapphire blue hip length tunic and leggings with matching slippers, all clearly lovingly crafted for him out of silk. His auburn hair hung loose and shining to his waist, his skin and dark eyes held a luminance that wasn't there before, and, perhaps the most shocking of all, were his sharply pointed ears and the elegant silver circlet encircling his head set with a gleaming sapphire magically shaped into an incredible one inch across diamond.

" _A-Andy_?.." Thomas stammered, his own dark eyes wide with shock and his breathing clearly uneven.

"Yes, Thomas?"

"How is this even _possible_? I mean, you look- _looked_ normal."

"I _am_ normal, Thomas," Andy chastised him while taking out a sapphire blue silk handkerchief from his pocket and beginning to wipe his face clean of his tears. "As normal as being human is for you. As normal as being physically drawn to men is for both of us. But with you it is different, as I said. It is emotional as well. I have never been with a man. Fae save themselves for their Mates. My purity is yours, my love."

"It- It is?"

"Yes. If you are to take me as I hope and long for with everything I am, then you must know that Fae are different in more ways then just appearance. Our culture, laws and traditions. ..Our bodies."

"..Your bodies?" Thomas inquired of him uncertainly.

"Yes, Thomas. My body is similar to yours in most ways, but because I am a Fae male who is drawn to other men it is also different in one very important way. If you choose to love me, I may become with-child. If that happened I would have to resign from my job here and rely on you to take care of me and our child. I can not work while pregnant, and leaving an untrained Fae child with a human caretaker is not possible. The risk of discovery would be too great. The only other option would be to return to my homeland, but I could _never_ go back without you. I do not wish to push you away by revealing these things, but you must know everything in order to make an informed decision. I could _never_ lie or trap you into being mine, Thomas. _I love you with all my heart and soul_. I know that the probability of eventually having to give up your life here if you claim me is likely unappealing to you.."

"How exactly do you figure that?"

"What?" Andy asked him in confusion.

"If you are telling the truth, of which you have already proven part of it, so why should I not believe the rest? Then you are offering me everything I have ever longed for. Everything I never had. You offer me your love, loyalty, children. A real family. A home. I want you, Andy, more then I could ever express. I have wanted you ever since I began teaching you how to read."

"Um.. about that.." Andy said nervously.

"What is it? _Oh_!" Thomas understood what he wasn't saying quickly. "You are a prince. Of course you already knew how to read."

"Yes. I am sorry, Thomas. It was supposed to be a part of my cover story. But then you offered.. and I wanted to spend time with you _so badly_.."

"It is fine, Andy," he reassured him. "I am flattered. I want to be with you, too."

"You do?" he asked him with hope shining in his eyes.

"Yes. We shall have to save to get a place. Perhaps above a shop. I know about books. And how to make and repair clocks. Would that sort of life be appealing to you?"

"Yes, Thomas. As long as I am with you I shall be happier anywhere you wish to go."

"Very well, then," Thomas stated firmly. "It is decided. Now come here. I wish to taste those golden honey lips once more."

Andy blushed red from his neck, up his face to the tips of his pointed ears, but he obeyed, burrowing himself into Thomas's embrace and close against his body while lifting his head for the promised kiss.

Thomas pulled him closer still, kissing Andy with so much tenderness he began to cry once again. He ended the kiss after a few moments in order to gaze into Andy's damp eyes, gently brushing the fallen tears off his cheeks with his thumbs.

"What is it, Andy?" Thomas inquired with clear concern for him because of his reaction. "Are you alright?"

"I am alright, Thomas, yes. I am just _so happy_ , and _so grateful_ , to be with you. That you feel the same way for me as I feel about you. I.. Even with my princely vocabulary it is difficult to find the words to adequately express my intense joy.. I love you, Thomas, so much.. I feel I can not say it enough."

"I love you, too, Andy. And you express yourself fine," Thomas reassured him, pressing a brief kiss to the other man's forehead. "We can not all be poets. I enjoy books very much, but I am really only a clockmaker, my love. I went into service to escape my restrictive family. They wished to change me. For me to be something other then I am. After I left my father disowned me. He is gone now. I have been to visit my mother and sisters a few times since. It is still uncomfortable, but they are trying to understand there will never be a wife for me. I thought not children, too. But you have opened that barred door for me, and I thank you for it. I have _always_ _wanted children_ , Andy. When I.. make love with you, how likely is it that you will get pregnant?"

"I.. I am very fertile," Andy confessed with another rose-tinted blush while staring into Thomas's eyes in return. "But I have been brewing my medicinal herbs into tea as a preventative just in case. I did not know if you would want children or not. But even though you do, I believe it would be wise for me to keep drinking it until we choose to leave here. It would be safer, Thomas. For both of us. Most humans are not ready to coexist with my kind. It is why we generally remain separate from this world."

"I agree, much as I wish it was not so. I want you to be safe, Andy. And any children we have. Our family."

"Yes. Thomas?"

"Yes, Andy?"

"Do you think.. we could go and visit your mother and sisters? I mean, would they be alright with us?"

"I do not know about that, Andy. But I do believe they will not say anything hurtful, and that they would enjoy another visit from me. It is true they do not understand, but I know they will like you, Andy. No one could ever not like you."

"Thank you, Thomas," Andy replied with another adorable blush and a sweet smile. "So we will go?"

"Yes, we will go," Thomas agreed, kissing Andy briefly with another smile. "I will ask Carson for the time off for us both."

"Thank you, Thomas. I want to know your family."

"And I wish them to know you, my love. Come to my bed with me, Andy? I know it is not so comfortable. None of our beds are. But I wish to hold you. To touch you. Will you let me do so?"

"Of course," Andy agreed. "I love you, Thomas. I am yours. _For_ _always_."

"I love you, too, Andy, and I am yours. _It is a promise_."

Thomas led Andy by the hand over to his bed, pressing tender, emotional kisses to Andy's face and lips while beginning the process of undressing the other man. His long fingered hands reached out to lift up Andy's shimmering tunic from the hemline, removing it for him and setting it aside thoughtfully before turning back to Andy to study his now bare chest curiously.

Andy's skin was fresh cream flushed with rose, beautiful and mouthwatering. His body appeared to be mostly hairless, though there was a light trail of auburn below his adorable belly button that clearly extended down into his silk leggings. Andy's nipples drew his interested gaze more then anything on his chest. Pebbled with Andy's need and positively delectable, they were the intense, sinful color of dark chocolate.

"Bloody hell, Andy!" Thomas groaned, helpless to keep the deep, lustful sound inside.

"What is it, Thomas?" Andy inquired in concern. "Is something wrong?"

"Wrong?" Thomas said, now staring at him with a weird look on his face. "You have hair like dark auburn fire, lips that taste of honey, nipples the color of my favorite sweet candy, the cutest damn belly button I have ever seen.. And _you want me_ , and you ask me if something is wrong? Good grief, Andy, I want- I _need_ to _lick and nibble you all over_!"

Andy gasped softly, his lips parting alluringly with the sound and his skin blushing deeper, but his dark eyed gaze was direct and warm with mutual need as he looked up into Thomas's eyes. " _I_ _want you to nibble on my ears_ , _Thomas_."

"Your ears? Really?" Thomas asked him with clear surprise.

"Yes. It is a Fae thing. They are very sensitive. A Fae only allows their Soul Mate access to their ears. No one else is worthy to trust with such a weakness, an intimacy. Not even one's family or children. Fae children are strictly taught from a young age to _never_ touch even near that area."

"I see. Your wish is my command, my love."

Thomas finished removing Andy's clothing and set it aside, followed by his own, before laying Andy down on the mattress gently. Andy smiled up at him, moving onto his left side and drawing the covers over himself before holding out his right hand in offering to Thomas.

Thomas smiled back at him, reaching out to link his fingers with his and crawling in beneath the covers Andy held open for him, lying on his opposite side so that he was facing the other man.

Thomas drew Andy into his embrace, pressing their bared bodies close, both of them shuddering in response before Thomas once again claimed Andy's mouth and began kissing him passionately.

" _T_ - _Thomas_!" Andy gasped into their kiss helplessly, squirming now to get even closer to his Mate's warmth needily. " _Do_ _something_ , _please_! _Touch me_! _I am on fire for you_!"

Thomas groaned into Andy's mouth in reply, his left hand touching Andy's smooth skinned chest obediently before moving down to gently cup Andy between his legs for the first time.

Andy gasped sharply and quivered, his eyes going wide as his shaft went hard, his intimate flesh shifting instinctively into Thomas's warm palm as his virgin body was consumed by pleasure that was powerful and overwhelming to his heart, mind, body and soul.

So when Thomas's mouth left his to move to the very sensitive tip of his right ear to press a gentle kiss there it was all too much for him, sending him instantly spiraling into his first climax involving his Life Mate. " _Thomas_! _Ahhhhh_!"

Thomas was shocked when Andy cried out and shook against him, spilling his warm seed into Thomas's hand and over his pale and slender fingers the second that he touched his lips to the pointed tip of Andy's ear.

"I.. uh, guess you weren't kidding about those ears of yours."

"…N-Not in the slightest.." Andy somehow managed to pant in reply, appearing to be embarrassed, but also content and happy. "My people are very sensual. Our close connection with nature makes it so, my darling Thomas."

"Nature?" Thomas inquired while reaching for a nearby cloth on his nightstand, looking deeply into Andy's beautiful dark chocolate eyes as he began to gently clean him of his spilled essence.

"Yes, nature," Andy replied with a smile, reaching out for the cloth when he was finished and cleaning Thomas's hand as he explained. "Faeries care for nature, you see. The woods and fields. The rivers, ponds, pools and waterfalls. Plants, animals and flowers. The seasons. It is how we use our magic to help the earth, not just ourselves. Greed is a terrible thing, so we give back to the land that gave us and everything life. I have trained since I was very small to assist plants to grow. It was always what I was drawn to. My affinity. Every faerie has one."

"I see," Thomas said, taking the cloth and tossing it into the laundry basket beside his bed to take care of later before looking back at him with a smile. "I would like to watch you do it sometime."

"Of course," Andy agreed with a nod, a smile and sparkling eyes. "I am sure your mother has plants I could tend to during our visit. But in the meanwhile, I shall tend to you, my Thomas. I do believe that your seed is ready for planting.."

Thomas stared at him for a moment in shock, his eyes wide and his mouth hanging open at Andy's teasing remark. "Why, you _wicked_ man-"

Thomas's voice was cut off by his deep moan as Andy moved down the bed quickly and lowered his dark auburn haired head between the other man's thighs.

Andy was trembling all over, his entire body quivering as he pleasured the man he loved with his mouth, and it wasn't long before Thomas found release, followed by Andy for a second time.

Then they cleaned each other up with another cloth in contented silence, afterward laying happily in each other's arms for a time before drifting off to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2 The Family Of My Love

**Chapter 2 The Family Of My Love**

Mister Carson gave Thomas and Andy a week off, though he had been reluctant. The lovers knew it was just his own suspicious nature, because he knew nothing. Andy's Fae magic had seen to that.

So the two men packed up what they would need for the week and headed off for the train station. Thanks to Andy's powers of concealment they were able to hold hands as they walked there together, and Thomas couldn't have been happier about it.

It was these little gestures of affection and caring between them that Thomas had longed for all his life, and the fact it was Andy that he was sharing them with filled him with such joy that it made his chest feel so full of love he couldn't contain the feeling.

He couldn't remember the last time he'd been happy. And he knew he'd _never_ been _this_ happy. He'd also never smiled so much in his life. It was even beginning to make his face hurt, but he was more then willing to embrace the pain because it was a good pain that was caused by his happiness with Andy.

It was a few hours by train to Thomas's childhood home, so Thomas chose an empty car and stowed their bags on the rack above the bench seat before he and Andy sat down together.

After a few minutes the train began to move, leaving the station, and they watched the scenery pass by together in contented, peaceful silence.

About an hour and a half or so later Andy sighed sleepily, rubbing at his eyes for a moment or two before yawning and laying his head on Thomas's left shoulder, since Andy was sitting by the train's window, and closing his eyes.

" _Mmmm_ , I am sorry, Thomas.." he whispered in his ear. "I think I am going to fall asleep here."

"It is fine, my love," Thomas replied, slipping his arm around Andy's waist and reaching his hand up to slip his long, elegant fingers tenderly through the silky soft dark auburn hair on the back of his head. "We did keep each other up last night talking. I will wake you when we reach our stop."

"Yes, we did," Andy agreed, then added, "But I was too excited to sleep. Thank you, Thomas."

"Of course. Holding you close to me, awake or asleep, is no hardship at all, my precious one. And it never will be. I love you, Andy Parker."

"And I love you, Thomas Barrow."

Thomas held Andy as he fell asleep, staring down at his lover's face and smiling yet again when Andy snuggled in closer to Thomas instinctively even though he was no longer awake.

It was certainly a most pleasant way to spend the sunshine-warmed late morning.

* * *

When they arrived at their destination Thomas woke Andy with a gentle hand on his right shoulder. "Andy, we are here. It is time to get off the train, sweetness."

Andy nodded in reply, stretching then rubbing at his eyes adorably with a sleepy smile up at him before standing as well.

They retrieved their luggage from the rack above their seat before disembarking from the train, walking together to leave the station and head in the direction of Thomas's mother's home.

When they reached the small white two-story house, with the closed up clock shop being on the bottom floor, Thomas ascended the narrow metal staircase on the right side of the house with Andy following behind him.

He knocked twice on the blue-grey door, then a third time after a moment had passed, clearly some sort of signal, and it wasn't long before the door was opened inward. An older woman was revealed. Her long silver hair was pulled back in a bun and she wore a simple cotton dress in the same shade of blue as the door.

"Thomas."

"Mother."

"Do come in. Both of you. Your sisters are in the kitchen preparing the bread for supper."

Thomas nodded and entered the house when she stepped back, drawing Andy in gently by the arm before shutting and relocking the door. They followed his mother into the kitchen after setting their suitcases down in the entryway.

Thomas's sisters were kneading dough so they all could have bread with dinner later, and they looked up at him as the three of them entered the room. The brunette had hazel eyes and wore an emerald green cotton dress, and the blonde had gray eyes and wore a dusky pink cotton dress.

"Thomas!" the sisters said in unison, both of them moving from behind the small island counter to hug him together, getting floury handprints on Thomas's usual pristine black suit.

Andy expected his fastidious lover to be annoyed, but he just laughed and ruffled their long and loose brown and blonde hair with each hand, teasing them gently, " _Girls_ , _girls_! You will make my sweetheart anxious."

The girls blinked, watching as Thomas turned his head to look at Andy with a smile, gesturing to each of the women as he said their names. "My mother, Amelia," he spoke of the older silver haired woman. "My brown haired sister, Rose, and my blonde haired sister, Julia." He looked at his mother and sisters, then back to the other man with unusually soft black eyes. "Mother, sisters, this is my Andy."

Thomas's sisters clearly didn't know what to say, but his mother stepped closer to them, her familiar black eyes peering at Andy specifically. "I won't pretend to understand this thing between you, because I don't. But I know myself to be far more tolerant of other people's differences then my deceased husband. So I have only one question for you, Andy. Do you love my boy?"

"With all my heart, Mrs. Barrow," Andy replied seriously, his gaze level and honest. "The only reason I came to work at Downton was to be with Thomas."

"I see. Well, Thomas will take you to his old room so you two can get settled in and rest before dinner."

* * *

After Thomas and Andy had unpacked their small suitcases into the wooden dresser they sat down together on Thomas's old full bed, removing their shoes and lying down on the mattress to rest for a while before dinner.

"Well," Andy said quietly, turning his head to smile over at Thomas as he spoke. "It went better then I expected it to. Though your sisters do not seem to know what to do with me."

"Give it time, Andy," Thomas replied with a return smile. "We just got here. By the time we have to return to Downton they will be treating you like another brother."

"I hope so, Thomas."

"I know so, precious."

* * *

Thomas and Andy woke from their short nap about an hour or so later, cleaning themselves up in the small bathroom attached to their room and changing their clothes. They then reached out to each other, holding hands just because they could as the pair headed toward the kitchen for dinner. They were so relieved that they could touch here without fear, and they smiled at each other happily.

They were already not looking forward to returning to Downton and all the emotional and physical restrictions that working there entailed.


	3. Chapter 3 Tales Of Faeries

**Chapter 3 Tales Of Faeries**

It was when they were sitting around the table after eating dinner, having their dessert, that Thomas's mother spoke up after Rose and Julia had retired to bed for the evening. "Thomas?"

"Yes, mother?" he inquired of her, looking up from the apple pie and setting down his fork respectfully.

"I know you enjoy your job at Downton, Thomas. But I wanted to ask if you would consider returning here and reopening your father's shop. I do not wish to pressure you into something that will make you unhappy, but with no money coming in from it.. Well, our savings is nearly gone. Your sisters and I, we need you here, Thomas. I know this seems sudden, but the truth is that I should have asked you on your last visit with us. I apologize for that, but you know how I hate to ask for help."

Thomas blinked, clearly taken aback at her request. "Yes, I do know, mother. I do wish you had told me sooner, but only because I could have been helping you. Clearly the money I have been sending is not enough?"

"No, not really, son. With the rent on the shop we aren't using, food and clothing, it isn't enough."

"Downton has been where I stay for a long time now, mother. But that does not mean that I have always been happy there. In fact, most of the time I was not. The people there, or at least most of them, are not very open-minded about people like Andy and I. The things they say and do are hurtful often. Being hurt and afraid and hiding is not conductive to making a place feel like a home. Leaving would not exactly break my heart. But where I go, my Andy goes. We had actually already spoken of opening a shop together. If I came back here and reopened father's shop, Andy would come as well. We are a pair, mother. Would you really be alright with that?"

"I believe so, Thomas, yes," she replied after taking a small sip out of her white with pink roses porcelain teacup and setting it down carefully. "Having two men to support and protect us can only be good. As to your.. inclinations, I'd like to think, despite your father's issues, that I taught you right, my son. You know how to be respectful in private, and discreet in public. What happens between Andy and you in private is your business and no one else's. That is all I really have to say about the matter, except I wish you to be sensitive to your sisters. I honesty don't know how they feel about this. Perhaps you could speak to them before you go to find out?"

"Of course, mother," Thomas said, inclining his head in agreement. "I do not wish to hide my relationship from my family, because I would never disrespect Andy that way. I love him, after all. But I do not wish to make others I care about uncomfortable, either. I am sure, regardless, that living here will be infinitely better then Downton. I believe I speak for the both of us when I say we will be very happy with this arrangement."

"Yes," Andy echoed his lover's statement. "We are very pleased, Mrs. Barrow. We will give Mr. Carson our notice upon our return to Downton Abbey. We will then work out our two weeks before returning here to live. Thomas will reopen the clock shop for business, and I wish to sell plants and flowers. Nature is what I know best. You could say I will be returning to my roots."

Thomas laughed softly, reaching out for Andy's hand and linking their fingers affectionately. Thomas's mother even smiled at his joke, though she quickly hid it behind her teacup.

"Well, then," Amelia said to them both. "I am glad that is settled."

* * *

When Thomas and Andy headed to their room for bed after finishing their pie they were surprised to see Rose and Julia were waiting for them in the hallway patiently.

"Rose, Julia," Thomas said to them in greeting. "Is something wrong?"

He noticed how his sister's eyes drifted down to their hands where his fingers were linked with Andy's and their palms were pressed close, but he did not let go.

"No, Thomas," Rose replied softly, the two of them looking up at their brother's face now. "We just wanted to know if.. Are you coming home to stay?"

"Yes, Rose. My Andy and I will be returning here after working out our two weeks at Downton."

"Good," Julia spoke this time, smiling at he and Andy, Rose doing the same. "We have missed you, brother. And you deserve to be happy."

"Thank you," Thomas said in surprise, visibly squeezing Andy's hand in his with clear pleasure.

"Of course. You're our brother, Thomas. Happiness is all that we've ever wanted for you," Rose informed him.

"And it does not hurt that our new brother is so cute, either," Julia teased them both, though she was clearly serious, too. "Almost like the little faeries in the garden from the tales mama used to tell us before papa forbid it. I miss those stories."

Thomas shared a look and a secret smile with Andy before transferring his attention back to his sisters. "Thank you. I am glad you both approve of my love for Andy, and his for me. It took a long time for us to finally find each other, and I would not give him up for the world."

"And those who matter would not expect you to," Rose replied boldly, though truthfully, Julia nodding in agreement as her sister put her hand on her shoulder. "We'll say goodnight now before mother comes up to bed, and we'll see you in the morning."

"Yes," Julia said quietly as they withdrew together to their shared room down the hall. "Goodnight, Thomas, Andy."

"Goodnight, Rose," Thomas returned. "Julia."

"Goodnight," Andy echoed, his expression clearly dazed and amused both somehow.

Then the two men retreated into the oasis of their room for the night as well.


	4. Chapter 4 Lavender Place

**Chapter 4 Lavender Place**

The next morning after breakfast Thomas, with Andy happily assisting him, opened up and began cleaning out his father's clock shop. There was only one large garbage bag of stuff to throw out, but his father had been gone about a year, so the store, as well as the small workshop in the backroom, were _covered_ in dust.

They finally decided to open the front door to the shop and sweep out all the huge piles of dust in a large grey cloud onto the street.

This obvious activity led to a young male servant from the fine townhouse across the street coming over on behalf of the butler in charge there.

"My name is Henry," he greeted them with a wide smile and shining blue-green eyes. "The butler from Lavender Place sent me. He wishes to know if the clock shop will be reopened?"

"Thomas Barrow," Thomas spoke, setting aside his broom, as they had just finished with the sweeping. "Yes, I will be reopening the shop in two weeks. We first have to give our notice at Downton Abbey. Andy will be selling plants."

"I see," Henry replied with a nod of his blonde haired head. "Francis will be pleased to know. Many of our master's clocks are in disrepair, but the closest clock shop is too far away to be able to check up on the progress with any regularity. The butler always brought the master's clocks here."

"Then I look forward to your business," Thomas said politely.

"It is good."

* * *

At the end of Thomas's and Andy's week of vacation, most of which was spent either readying the clock shop for it's reopening in two weeks or visiting with Thomas's, and now Andy's family, the two of them reluctantly packed up their things to head for the train station.

Amelia, Julia and Rose accompanied them to see the two men off back to Downton.

"We'll be back in two weeks, mother," Thomas promised her where he stood beside Andy on the platform, both of them holding their suitcases.

"Good," Amelia said, Julia and Rose standing on either side of her. "You take care of my boy, Andy."

"Of course, Mrs. Barrow," Andy replied with a wide smile. "I promise."

"Call me Amelia, please, Andy," she requested of him, briefly hugging them both.

"Of course. ..Amelia. I will never allow anything bad to happen to my Thomas. He is all that matters in the worlds to me. My light in the darkness."

" _That is so romantic_.." Julia whispered in reaction with stars in her eyes.

"Yes," Rose agreed with her sister, inclining her head toward Andy. "Our new brother knows how to speak well of emotion and love. A trait rare to be found in a man."

"Yes, Julia said, moving to hug them goodbye, followed by Rose. "It is rare. You are lucky, Thomas. You have one of the good ones here."

"It was not luck," Thomas disagreed, returning their hugs before reaching out to take hold of Andy's free hand with his own. "It was fate. _We_ are fate."

The two men became lost in each other's eyes for a moment that felt like eternity, and the three women had to shoo them both onto the train with words of teasing affection.

* * *

Thomas and Andy arrived back at Downton in the late afternoon, each of them putting their suitcases away in their separate rooms upstairs before changing so that they could get right to work assisting the servants of the Abbey.

After the usual afternoon chores had been completed, dinner had been prepared, laid out and eaten by the family; Thomas and Andy requested to speak to mister Carson in the butler's office.

"Oh, yes," Carson said, looking up when Thomas lifted an elegant fingered hand to knock lightly on the partially open door. "Come in. Well, despite likely being fatigued by your travel, you both did a wonderful job this afternoon and evening. Thank you, Mr. Barrow, Mr. Parker. Now, what was it that you both wished to speak with me about?"

Thomas inclined his head slightly in response, stepping into the room with Andy following after him and pushing the door closed quietly. Neither of them wished to be overheard and likely become the subject of cruel gossip before they left again in two weeks time.

"Thank you, mister Carson," Thomas replied, he and Andy standing shoulder to shoulder in front of his desk while the older man stood behind it. "We appreciate it. Andy and I wanted to let you know we'll be leaving again in two weeks to go back. My mother and sisters need me to move back home and reopen my father's clock shop."

"I see," Carson said to Thomas, his expression unsurprisingly stern. He then turned to study Andy with a look of genuine concern. "And Mr. Parker? Are you sure this is what you want? May I ask what your plans are?"

"Yes, mister Carson," Andy replied firmly, reaching out boldly for Thomas's hand, holding onto it tightly. "It is. I want to be with Thomas. I know your opinions on this subject, but I really do love him. He's my best friend, and my soul mate. As to my plans for the future, besides being with Thomas and our family, is to sell plants and flowers. Nature is what I know. It's how I was raised."

" _Hmmm_ ," Carson hummed, inquiring, "I don't suppose I can convince you to remain here at Downton instead?"

"No," Andy answered, shaking his head. "I am sorry, mister Carson. But I have to follow my heart. I also promised my mother, father and siblings that I would introduce them to my Thomas. They are very eager to know him."

"Very well," mister Carson said, his expression clearly revealing his disappointment with Andy's choices. "The circumstances being.. what they are, would either of you object to departing this house on the early train tomorrow? The money you are both owed will, of course, be sent on to your new residence."

The pair of young men blinked, a bit surprised at the inquiry, though they probably should not have been. They looked at each other for a moment, then back to Carson.

"You mean we can leave?" Andy asked him politely. "Tomorrow?"

"Yes. Tomorrow," mister Carson confirmed. "I believe that would be for the best."

Andy's face transformed into a wide, clearly excited smile as he turned to look into Thomas's dark eyes while noticeably still holding his hand with his. "Did you hear that, Thomas? We can leave in the morning! We can go _home_! Can you imagine their faces when we show up tomorrow afternoon?! Julia and Rose! Amelia!"

"No, Andy," Thomas said simply, staring back into his mate's beautiful brown eyes. "But I can not wait to see all their faces, no matter the expressions they wear."


End file.
